1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to dial-up sessions for transferring data between computing configurations. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and computer executable instructions for creating numeric dialing strings facilitating the dial-up session. Even more specifically, the present invention relates to creating dialing strings useful when calling and transferring data internationally.
2. The Relevant Technology
In a data communications environment, data is transferred between computing configurations, such as from a sender to a receiver, via a transmission medium during a dial-up session. Often times, the transmission medium is a phone line and the transfer requires the dialing of a numeric string of numbers at the sender's end in order to establish the connection.
Typically, this numeric string of numbers includes some or all of the following: getting out of a hotel, navigating local phone return, extra digits required to dial from one country to another or to dial locally which could result, for example, with a seven-digit phone number; a three-digit area code; a fourteen to sixteen-digit billing number; a delay or pause code for causing a delay between the phone number and billing information numbers, and any other numbers, such as “9,” to access a line “outside” of the building or exchange in which the sender is located.
When the sender is dialing from a familiar environment, the actual numeric string used during a dial-up session is often programmed into computer memory and is usually dialed without incident. In an unfamiliar environment, however, the formulation or creation of the actual dialing string can often be quite problematic. For example, many times, the delay codes, the outside access line codes, etc., are unknown to the sender. As such, the sender must exercise trial and error methodologies until the communications link for transferring the data can be established. Adversely, this requires valuable time and perhaps never establishing a connection resulting in lost business.
This problem is even further compounded when a sender is trying to establish a dial-up session in a foreign country for domestic or international data transfers. For example, in addition to having to know the previous items of the dialing string, the sender must typically also know and include another four to six digits of numbers for the foreign country and/or regional codes plus numbers to get out of hotel, navigate local phone system, and prier calling card numbers. Problematically, these numbers are often unknown and cannot be intuitively ascertained.
Outside access line codes, although frequently intuitive to persons located within the United States, often seem random and/or sporadic in other countries. Billing information numbers, that affect the length and sequence of the dialing string, are often also implicated as senders are billed for data transfers when dialing from countries other than the credit cards' country of origin. As such, this can cause frustration to the user and tremendously lengthen the time it takes to establish a communications link.
While known computer software has been developed to assist users in overcoming the foregoing frustrations and problems, in general, the software is little more than a presentation of options to be selected by users to facilitate the dial-up session. An example of an option includes choices provided to users such as whether the outside access line code is a numeral “9” or a “0” or a “1,” etc. The users are, then, to fill in a blank with the appropriate numeral. This, however, presupposes that the user is aware of what the appropriate numeral should be. This does little, if anything, to help users in actually creating or formulating the dialing string when the user is unaware of the numeric values that should be included.
Additionally, once a dialing string is dialed and used to try and establish a connection between a sender and receiver for the transfer of data, prior art software ceases to provide useful assistance thereafter. For example, if the dialing string fails to establish the connection necessary for the dial-up session, the user is not informed as to whether it was failure of the dialing string or whether it was some other reason. Likewise, troubleshooting assistance and procedures for overcoming the failed connection are absent.
Accordingly, it would be an advance to provide users with means for formulating or creating numeric dialing strings for the domestic or international transfer of data. It would also be an advance to provide follow-on assistance in the event of failure while users are attempting to establish the communications link necessary to transfer the data.